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| Documentary Stirs French as Officials Weigh a Labor Overhaul | Documentary Stirs French as Officials Weigh a Labor Overhaul |
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| PARIS — A satirical documentary film that pits a pair of unemployed garment workers against the billionaire head of the luxury giant LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton has emerged as a sleeper hit in France, where it has become a rallying cry against a government proposal to overhaul the labor code. | PARIS — A satirical documentary film that pits a pair of unemployed garment workers against the billionaire head of the luxury giant LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton has emerged as a sleeper hit in France, where it has become a rallying cry against a government proposal to overhaul the labor code. |
| Since opening on Feb. 24 with little marketing, the film, François Ruffin’s “Merci Patron!” — or “Thanks, Boss!” — has been booked in almost 800 theaters and has been seen by more than 260,000 people, according to its distributor. In France, a viewership of 50,000 is considered a success for a documentary. | |
| Mr. Ruffin credits the American director Michael Moore and his 1989 documentary, “Roger & Me,” for inspiring “Merci Patron!” In the film, Mr. Ruffin stages a number of slapstick efforts to reach Bernard Arnault, the chairman and chief executive of LVMH, similar to the ways Mr. Moore tried to chase down Roger B. Smith of General Motors. | Mr. Ruffin credits the American director Michael Moore and his 1989 documentary, “Roger & Me,” for inspiring “Merci Patron!” In the film, Mr. Ruffin stages a number of slapstick efforts to reach Bernard Arnault, the chairman and chief executive of LVMH, similar to the ways Mr. Moore tried to chase down Roger B. Smith of General Motors. |
| At one point, Mr. Ruffin shows up at an annual meeting of LVMH shareholders, only to be ejected after he wears a T-shirt with the words “I Love Bernard.” | At one point, Mr. Ruffin shows up at an annual meeting of LVMH shareholders, only to be ejected after he wears a T-shirt with the words “I Love Bernard.” |
| “If someone had written this script for the film, it would not have been credible,” Mr. Ruffin said. “Reality is better than fiction.” | “If someone had written this script for the film, it would not have been credible,” Mr. Ruffin said. “Reality is better than fiction.” |
| The loss of middle-class jobs to globalization has become a point of contention in the United States and in many European countries, including France, where the political left is battling to head off labor overhauls advocated by centrists in the government of President François Hollande, a Socialist. | The loss of middle-class jobs to globalization has become a point of contention in the United States and in many European countries, including France, where the political left is battling to head off labor overhauls advocated by centrists in the government of President François Hollande, a Socialist. |
| Under the proposals, some payouts would be capped for laid-off workers, based on seniority. The plans would also make it somewhat easier for employers to dismiss workers. | Under the proposals, some payouts would be capped for laid-off workers, based on seniority. The plans would also make it somewhat easier for employers to dismiss workers. |
| Last week, hundreds of demonstrators protesting the changes gathered in the Place de la République in Paris for an open-air screening of the film. Students and union members, who began occupying the square on March 31 as part of a movement called Nuit Debout, or Up All Night, sang the lyrics from the film’s 1971 title song, a sarcastic homage to factory shift work by the comedy troupe Les Charlots. | |
| The film has also been shown in Lyon and Marseille as the protests against the labor proposals have spread across France. | The film has also been shown in Lyon and Marseille as the protests against the labor proposals have spread across France. |
| “Merci Patron!” follows Mr. Ruffin’s efforts on behalf of Jocelyne and Serge Klur, a couple in the northern town of Forest-en-Cambrésis who lost their jobs in 2007 with the closing of a factory that had been subcontracted to make suits for LVMH brands. Production was moved to Eastern Europe. | “Merci Patron!” follows Mr. Ruffin’s efforts on behalf of Jocelyne and Serge Klur, a couple in the northern town of Forest-en-Cambrésis who lost their jobs in 2007 with the closing of a factory that had been subcontracted to make suits for LVMH brands. Production was moved to Eastern Europe. |
| Mr. Ruffin coaches the Klurs, who are now destitute and whose home is threatened with foreclosure. Posing as their son, with dyed blond hair, he guides them on a quest to demand 35,000 euros, about $40,000, to settle their debts and to win a minimum-wage job for Mr. Klur from LVMH and Mr. Arnault. | Mr. Ruffin coaches the Klurs, who are now destitute and whose home is threatened with foreclosure. Posing as their son, with dyed blond hair, he guides them on a quest to demand 35,000 euros, about $40,000, to settle their debts and to win a minimum-wage job for Mr. Klur from LVMH and Mr. Arnault. |
| Olivier Labesse, a spokesman for Mr. Arnault, said the company was not commenting about the film. But he emphasized that LVMH employed 120,000 workers around the world, including more than 20,000 in France. Last year its revenue totaled €35.7 billion. | Olivier Labesse, a spokesman for Mr. Arnault, said the company was not commenting about the film. But he emphasized that LVMH employed 120,000 workers around the world, including more than 20,000 in France. Last year its revenue totaled €35.7 billion. |
| Mr. Arnault is known in France for his philanthropy and his sponsorship of the arts, including the recently opened Louis Vuitton Foundation museum in Paris. | Mr. Arnault is known in France for his philanthropy and his sponsorship of the arts, including the recently opened Louis Vuitton Foundation museum in Paris. |
| The film’s populist theme appears to have struck a chord. But with the publicity came questions about whether Mr. Ruffin, in the role he made for himself as a Robin Hood, had manipulated his subjects to advance his agenda. He made the film on a shoestring budget, with money from crowdfunding as well as €40,000 from Fakir, a satirical left-wing magazine that he edits. | The film’s populist theme appears to have struck a chord. But with the publicity came questions about whether Mr. Ruffin, in the role he made for himself as a Robin Hood, had manipulated his subjects to advance his agenda. He made the film on a shoestring budget, with money from crowdfunding as well as €40,000 from Fakir, a satirical left-wing magazine that he edits. |
| “Everyone on the right and the left gets media training to go on television,” Mr. Ruffin said of the criticism. “And it seems to me that the Klurs have the right to media training as well.” | “Everyone on the right and the left gets media training to go on television,” Mr. Ruffin said of the criticism. “And it seems to me that the Klurs have the right to media training as well.” |
| “Merci Patron!” has also benefited from accusations of censorship. Mr. Ruffin said he had been shut out of the television talk show circuit in a nation where most of the mainstream media is controlled by a few conglomerates. In March, the union for journalists from Le Parisien — a daily newspaper that LVMH acquired last year — publicly accused their new editor of blocking reviews of the film because he argued that the Klurs were being manipulated. | “Merci Patron!” has also benefited from accusations of censorship. Mr. Ruffin said he had been shut out of the television talk show circuit in a nation where most of the mainstream media is controlled by a few conglomerates. In March, the union for journalists from Le Parisien — a daily newspaper that LVMH acquired last year — publicly accused their new editor of blocking reviews of the film because he argued that the Klurs were being manipulated. |
| Although Mr. Moore never managed in “Roger & Me” to reach his goal of getting Mr. Smith to visit Flint, Mich., Mr. Ruffin was somewhat more successful. After the Klurs, under his guidance, threatened to send letters to major news outlets about their financial woes, a tough-talking LVMH representative visited their home to offer a settlement. | Although Mr. Moore never managed in “Roger & Me” to reach his goal of getting Mr. Smith to visit Flint, Mich., Mr. Ruffin was somewhat more successful. After the Klurs, under his guidance, threatened to send letters to major news outlets about their financial woes, a tough-talking LVMH representative visited their home to offer a settlement. |
| “Above all,” the emissary urged, according to a camera hidden between the paws of a cheetah sculpture, “don’t talk to anyone!” | “Above all,” the emissary urged, according to a camera hidden between the paws of a cheetah sculpture, “don’t talk to anyone!” |
| Jean-Pierre Garnier, a sociologist in Paris and an expert on urban politics, said LVMH was simply being pragmatic. “Bernard Arnault is very conscious of his image,” Mr. Garnier said. “He is a patron of the arts. And here are these workers who could stain that image of him as cynical and indifferent to their misery and despondence.” | Jean-Pierre Garnier, a sociologist in Paris and an expert on urban politics, said LVMH was simply being pragmatic. “Bernard Arnault is very conscious of his image,” Mr. Garnier said. “He is a patron of the arts. And here are these workers who could stain that image of him as cynical and indifferent to their misery and despondence.” |
| The Klurs, who declined to be interviewed for this article, are satisfied with their portrayal in the film, said Marie-Hélène Bourlard, a former factory worker who introduced Mr. Ruffin to the couple. | The Klurs, who declined to be interviewed for this article, are satisfied with their portrayal in the film, said Marie-Hélène Bourlard, a former factory worker who introduced Mr. Ruffin to the couple. |
| “It’s an amusing film because ordinary people challenged a powerful businessman, and they won,” Ms. Bourlard said. “They bluffed him.” | “It’s an amusing film because ordinary people challenged a powerful businessman, and they won,” Ms. Bourlard said. “They bluffed him.” |
| Mr. Ruffin has appeared at screenings around the country to take questions from audiences. At one event last month in Rouen, he was joined onstage by Marc-Antoine Jamet, secretary general of LVMH, who is also a Socialist politician. | Mr. Ruffin has appeared at screenings around the country to take questions from audiences. At one event last month in Rouen, he was joined onstage by Marc-Antoine Jamet, secretary general of LVMH, who is also a Socialist politician. |
| In the film, Mr. Ruffin and Mr. Jamet are filmed by a hidden camera at a restaurant while discussing a deal for the Klurs — with Mr. Ruffin wearing a Mexican sombrero with gold tassels. | In the film, Mr. Ruffin and Mr. Jamet are filmed by a hidden camera at a restaurant while discussing a deal for the Klurs — with Mr. Ruffin wearing a Mexican sombrero with gold tassels. |
| Speaking to the crowd, Mr. Jamet insisted that Mr. Arnault had not seen the film. He also praised Mr. Ruffin’s “extraordinary courage.” | Speaking to the crowd, Mr. Jamet insisted that Mr. Arnault had not seen the film. He also praised Mr. Ruffin’s “extraordinary courage.” |
| Then Mr. Jamet noted that most of the audience members were probably wearing clothing made in foreign countries, as Mr. Ruffin’s “I Love Bernard” T-shirt probably was. | Then Mr. Jamet noted that most of the audience members were probably wearing clothing made in foreign countries, as Mr. Ruffin’s “I Love Bernard” T-shirt probably was. |
| “That was made in China by child laborers,” he said, and then — drowned out by jeers and whistles — he walked off the stage. | “That was made in China by child laborers,” he said, and then — drowned out by jeers and whistles — he walked off the stage. |
| In an interview this week with Paris-Normandie, a regional newspaper in northern France, Mr. Jamet said that he had been aware of the hidden camera during filming and that he had been the target of spiteful comments and death threats. | In an interview this week with Paris-Normandie, a regional newspaper in northern France, Mr. Jamet said that he had been aware of the hidden camera during filming and that he had been the target of spiteful comments and death threats. |
| “I feel I have created many hundreds of jobs annually,” he said. “But when they reproach me for the loss of two jobs, I find that childish, unfair and not very democratic.” | “I feel I have created many hundreds of jobs annually,” he said. “But when they reproach me for the loss of two jobs, I find that childish, unfair and not very democratic.” |